HS Special Desk 
Introduction Energy resources play a fundamental role in shaping the economic, social, and political structure of modern societies. Among the various forms of energy used in households, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has become one of the most important sources of cooking fuel in India. Over the last two decades, government policies such as the Pradhan … Read more
Food deserts—places where residents have limited physical or economic access to affordable, nutritious food—are more than a public-health label. They are social symptoms: the visible outcomes of historical disinvestment, segregationist policies, market logics, and everyday inequalities that shape what, how, and whether people eat. This article examines the causes, mechanisms, and social consequences of food … Read more
Introduction on Social Inequality and Welfare State in Portugal The question of social inequality remains central to sociological inquiry, particularly in societies that combine democratic governance with welfare-oriented policies. Portugal, a Southern European nation with a history of authoritarianism, colonialism, revolution, European integration, and economic crisis, presents a compelling case for examining the relationship between … Read more
The sudden escalation of direct military action between the United States, Israel and Iran marks a turning point not only in regional security but in the social architecture that underpins the contemporary global order. Beyond battlefield maps and headline metrics, the conflict is reconfiguring identities, norms, institutions, economic patterns, and everyday social life across diverse … Read more
Introduction on Homelessness and Social Policy in California Homelessness in California is not merely a failure of individual circumstance; it is a complex social phenomenon produced by the interaction of economic, political, institutional, and cultural forces. California accounts for a disproportionately large share of the nation’s unsheltered population, and responses have ranged from emergency hotel … Read more
Introduction: Water Scarcity and Social Conflict in Arizona Arizona sits at the intersection of a long-running environmental crisis and intensifying social contestation. What began as a slow-moving hydrological stress from prolonged drought and climate change has, over the past two decades, mutated into a set of political struggles — between urban and rural users, agricultural … Read more
Introduction Alaska occupies an outsized place in the American imagination: vast, remote, and rich in natural resources. Yet that same geography that defines the state also shapes its social institutions — especially health care. The question of who receives timely, culturally appropriate, and effective health services in Alaska is not merely a matter of hospital … Read more
Introduction Education is widely regarded as one of the primary engines of social mobility: a pathway through which individuals and families can improve economic standing, expand opportunities, and reshape life trajectories. Yet access to that pathway and the returns it yields are unevenly distributed. In Alabama, historical legacies, economic structures, demographic patterns, and contemporary policy … Read more
The economic crisis that struck Greece in 2009 was not merely a financial collapse; it was a profound social rupture. What began as a sovereign debt crisis soon transformed into a structural crisis of institutions, family life, employment patterns, political legitimacy, and collective identity. From a sociological perspective, the crisis revealed deep-seated inequalities within Greek … Read more
Introduction Environmental problems are often described as universal. Climate change, pollution, toxic waste, and extreme weather events affect entire regions and nations. Yet sociological research consistently shows that environmental harm is not distributed equally. In the United States, marginalized communities—particularly low-income groups, racial minorities, Indigenous populations, and migrant workers—bear a disproportionate burden of environmental degradation. … Read more